Little sister
by red157
Summary: Shimizu Makoto vowed to protect his sister. Upon finding her, he realises she may not need protecting after all... Please R and R, Now with Chapter 5 AND added Ninja's!
1. My story

I awoke on the plane, covered in sweat. People around the cabin gawped at me in an indiscreet yet obvious sort of way. I must have been screaming again…

I scream like the girl in my dreams does every time I drift into sleep. It was never as frequent as this, even a month ago. It means I'm close to finding her. I stare right back at the people in the seats around me, I tell you; you've never seen people turn away so fast. My neighbour has moved back a few rows; I guess he couldn't sit next to a screaming oriental guy. Chuckling to myself, I reach into my small rucksack and pull out a green, leather bound diary. Putting pen to paper, I wonder how I got on board a plane to hell.

My father moved to Japan from the US three year before my birth. He shipped things between the two countries, it was in Japan he met successful lawyer Yumi Makoto, my mother. They had me and eventually my little sister, so as you can imagine, life was good. Sadly, my father caught cancer and on his death bed made me take a vow. A vow to protect my sister for as long as I live and make sure she never sees any harm. I accepted my vow and yes, my father died. It all went wrong, however, when my sister vanished at the age of nine.

My mother became a broken woman, never working, only living off my father's money. I spent all my spare time as a teenager either looking for my sister or training to kill whoever stole her. Time passed and we slowly forgot about her. My mother returned to her job and I found work at an ink sales department (I used my ability to speak fluent English by getting overseas retailers to by our produce). It was my pointless job that led me to believe my sister was still alive.

Having an American father made me want to keep in touch with all the latest news in the US. He had romanticised it as a place of opportunity and freedom so I was surprised to read about the worst city in the world being in the country I was so fond of. There was a special article on the known criminals in the city. The read was almost funny, with policemen being killed by prostitutes and bribes left, right and centre. They had a photo alongside the words, it contained five or six prostitutes in a huddle talking, I'm sure they never saw the photographer. Standing outside the huddle was a girl, though fourteen years older, she hadn't changed at all.

My sister Miho.


	2. Shimizu Makoto

**Disclaimer – I do not own Sin City or any of it's characters**

I have had so little sleep I don't know if the name on the ticket is even mine any more.

_Shimizu Makoto, _yeah that seems right. I looked around the basin city airport. For some reason I was extremely self-conscious. I was the only oriental person in view but hardly the only person from an ethnic background. It was nice to see this city was so multicultural, I would soon find out why. Flagging down a taxi, I used this time to jot some more stuff down in my diary.

My mother thought I was crazy when I told her I believed Miho was alive. I ignored her and within days I was on a plane to Basin city, hardly worried this place had the nickname _Sin City_. I have no weapons but am hardly defenceless, as a teenager I thought I could be come a vigilante and hunt the people who stole my sister. I just hope she still remembers me.

I had taken the whole plane journey planning what I would do. First I would book a hotel then I will get deeper and apparently dirtier into this cities heart. Hoping my sister would know the prostitutes and not be one, it was obvious I need to speak to the first one I can find. I have brought all my earnings and can draw out any of the near unlimited inheritance my father left me. I paid the driver and gave him a few dollars more as a tip. Stepping out into the bright sunny street I wondered why this city had such a reputation. Children walked with their parents merrily and the skyscrapers gave it a large awe-inspiring feel. My stomach rumbled loud enough for me to hear above the cars. Spotting a restaurant across the street, I jogged through a traffic jam and into _Luigi's.

* * *

_

The sky was covered with cloud when I had finished my spaghetti bolognaise and coffee. As I returned to the streets everything seemed darker and greyer, more depressing. Zipping up my brown coat, I descended into the crowd of eager people trying to get home. According to the article, the city was divided into two areas. New town is where I am now, like any average city; it has flats, offices, and order. I was heading to old town, the furthest you can get from new town. Occasionally asking directions from the seediest looking people I could find, I slowly entered old town.

Old town seemed to be the slum of Basin City. If it wasn't for the needles littered along the cobbled floor, you could be mistaken for thinking you were in the middle ages. Passing boisterous and disruptive bars, I wondered how hard it was to find a girl around here. Passing yet another smack head on the street and with rain pouring, I decided that the next bar I see I'd look inside. I pulled my damp hood over my head and trotted on in search of the nearest watering hole.

* * *

I spotted the two doormen from the end of the alley. I had located the hidden bar from a painted arrow on a wall, unsure whether to enter, I went with my instincts. My instincts aren't anything to trust though. The two fat, bald guards finally noticed me when I was only metres away. The largest held up his hand to silence his friend and they both fell silent. With me only coming up to the largest doorman's waist, I felt like bolting back down the alley, but I didn't, I had a job. I flashed them both a smile and brushed back my floppy, black hair.

"May I enter the bar?" My voice shook with nerves. It was so obvious they could probably smell it, if it wasn't for the smoke that accompanied the area.

The two looked at each other, the smaller smirked to his associate. He slowly turned to me with his arms crossed.

"If you were me and I were you, would you let you into the bar?" The largest sniggered, like a jock laughing at a complicated joke he doesn't get.

I sized them both up. The smaller of the two was still much taller than me but you know what they say, _the bigger you are…_

I stabbed my flat hand into the larger guys gut, sending him falling to the floor faster than a 1 tonne anvil. The second guy, though armed, preferred to use his fists and threw a slow but powerful punch in my direction. I had already ducked and the punch flew over my head. Not slowing, I threw an uppercut into the doorman's jaw, sending his teeth crashing into each other and him flying into the wall. As the smaller hit the ground I span back to check on the tubby, unfortunately he wasn't there.

As soon as I mentally swore, a click from behind signalled the cocking of a pistol, the fat guys to be precise.

"I ain't ever killed a Chinese guy before." His gruff voice suited his large body perfectly. His mistaking of my nationality only made this sweeter.

Over the noise in the bar an audible scream was heard from out in the alley. The few waitresses glanced at each other but soon shrugged it off as another fight. I casually strolled in expecting a few glances but no one even looked up from their beer. _This is the place, _I thought.


	3. Miho?

**Disclaimer – I do not own Sin City or any of it's characters**

AN – From now on, anything in italics is either thought or being spoken in Japanese.

I tried not to breath to heavily as I collapsed into a comfy seat in the bars corner. Who would have thought beating the crap into someone would be such tiring work. Well, I'm serious now; I'm not going back home 'til I find her. Glancing up through the mist I try to spot how a guy could get served around here. The waitresses or bar staff seemed to approach you so I used this time to light a cheap cigar I bought at the airport.

The scent seemed to attract one waitress, the least suggestively dressed as the others all wore leather (not much leather I'd like to add). She flashed me a slight smile and brushed her bottle blonde hair out of her face.

"Hey hun, you're new here, anything in particular you'd like?" She asked it in a manner that would cause any man to think to one thing they'd like in particular. I returned the smile and asked for the cheapest beer she had.

"Good choice." She turned to walk off but span back round, I looked up in surprise. "Don't worry, hun, those two outside weren't going to last long anyway."

I chuckled and patiently waited for my drink. Looking back around the bar I noticed more looks from the flirting than I did from beating the thugs outside. Some men are so jealous. After a couple of minutes she returned holding a tray with my cool bottle of beer. As she picked up the previous occupants glass from the table next to mine, I asked her name in the smoothest voice I could muster.

"Shellie. And yours?" She stood and waited even though a woman behind the bar screamed her name.

"Shimizu Makoto." Faster than the eye could see, I pulled out the enlarged photo of my sister from my jacket pocket. I pointed out Miho and handed it to Shellie's free hand. "That is Miho, my sister, she is in this town, and I need to find her. Have you see her, have you seen Miho?"

Reluctant would be an understatement. She dropped the photo and hid any hint of surprise.

"No. Never seen her, I'm sorry, Shimizu? You better finish your drink, there are rougher people than those two bozos outside." Unsure whether that was a threat or a warning, I finished off my drink and silently left. Out the corner of my eye, I spotted Shellie looking at me and the other lady still screaming at her.

Everything I saw on my way to the bar looked worse as I left. The streets were darker and every drunken strangers look seemed murderous. A group of twenty-something girls smashed through me as if I was nothing, no respect at all. God bless America. Cursing in Japanese, it took me a minute or two to notice I was stumbling. My vision was getting blurry, what had the waitress put in my drink? I stopped and slowly turned to look behind me, I'm not sure why. The girls who bashed through me were staring right at me, waiting.

"Why are you looking at me?" I slurred like a drunk on his sixth pint. Then, everything went black.

* * *

_Please say I'm in the hotel_… 

With last night's events slightly blurry, I just prayed I was in my hotel. My head was knocked to the right as my cheek burned with the force of a punch. I guess I'm not at the hotel then. I opened my right eye, my left too bruised to even squint. Five girls surrounded me; each locked and loaded with as much heat as you'd expect a SWAT team to carry.

The one kindly beating me around the face was the nicest looking. She was dark skinned but had even darker clothing, if you could class it as clothing. She seemed like she had just stumbled out of some porn film, but I doubt that's what she does in this town.

"Could you kindly stop beating me around the face?" She stopped and thought for a second then hit me in the stomach. I managed to tense my muscles, so I didn't feel as much pain. I could also see where I was now my brain wasn't being knocked left and right. I wriggled and realized my arms and legs were both tied. Two girls gripped my shoulders, keeping me on what felt like a wooden chair.

A gap between punches allowed me to look up. If I escaped I could hardly give the police an accurate description as it looked like any other abandoned flat. The windows were blacked out and one lampshade-less light bulb swung slowly above, casting everyone's features in an eerie shadow. She turned to a table and wiped, what must be my blood, off her hands.

"Excuse me." I'm perfect at speaking English, I even have a slight American accent, but I know I must be pretty beat up if I sound like Sylvester Stallone.

"Gail, he's talking to you." One of the girls behind me got the leaders attention; I must have been really quiet. The leader, Gail, walked up to me and squatted so she was at my level.

"Can I please ask why you're hitting me?" I tried to sound calm and clear but God knows what it sounded like. Gail stood; I don't know whether she understood me.

"I'm hitting you," (she understood me then) "because you are searching for a person under my employment. You say you are her brother yet she tells me her brother died many years ago. I trust her with my life and I believe her word. So, who are you?" All the girls' eyes were on me; I could even feel the two holding my shoulders gazing down at the back of my head.

"Me? I'm nobody." I leaped off the chair and my hands sprang out from the rope I untied ages ago. The two girls behind me, though surprised by me speed, soon pulled out their weapons. I flicked the chair into the body of one girl with both of my feet (still tied), she stumbled back, her weapon falling nearby.

I rolled as a spray of bullets from Gail and three other girl's guns came in my direction. After getting up, I flipped past Gail, causing the girls to stop fire in case of hitting her. I landed on the table, knocking it over and providing cover from another spray of automatic and pistol fire. Hurriedly, I tightened the rope and wrapped it around my hand, hoping to use it as a whip. The table was steadily obliterated under the fire from the four girls; I hoped the fifth was still down from being hit by the chair.

Looking for a possible exit, I noticed some more blacked out windows behind me and away from the attack. Grabbing a large bit of broken wood, I cut off the rope binding my feet, giving me hope I can escape alive. I threw the rope and wood over the table in desperation as I planned what I would do. Just as I was about to make my move, the fire stopped and possibly Gail approached.

I kicked the large chunk of wood (that was a table) at the on comer and slid back wards. Turning as fast as I could I saw one of Gail's girls flat on the floor. Running for the window, I didn't have time to see what the rest were doing, but I soon found out. The familiar sound of fire returned as countless bullets burned past me. Inches from the window, one hit my thigh and another skimmed my arm so my dive was more of a stumble.

The already shot to bits glass meant I didn't have any other needless cuts or injuries to cope with when I landed. Instead of falling to the streets below, I hit a slanted roof a mere foot below the window. I released a yelp as I tumbled off the edge and crashed into a skip below. Gail was looking out the window before I even had chance to get out of the rubbish. I climbed out surprised they weren't firing as I escaped; it was only then I felt the unimaginable pain taking up my entire body.

As I limped along, my hand covering my bleeding arm, something cold and metallic touched my neck. It didn't feel like a gun as it was sharp and it radiated a terrible feeling of death. Could it be? She held a sword in the photo I found a lifetime ago.

"Miho?" The cold touch pulled away and I heard the sword clang as it hit the ground.

"Shimizu, _you found me_." I turned around; all my pain had melted away.


	4. War

Disclaimer – I do not own Sin City or any of it's characters 

AN – From now on, anything in italics is either thought or being spoken in Japanese.

"_How is mother?" _Miho spoke awkwardly after the euphoria of the reunion had worn off.

"_She's fine, considering she lost two of the three things that kept her going."_

Miho looked at me in anger but turned away, having gone slightly sheepish.

"_I never meant to hurt her feelings. You know that." _I snorted like most Americans do when in disbelief.

"_Do you know what wouldn't have hurt her feelings? You not bolting off, without leaving anything, not telling us where you went. God knows what could or even have happened to you. How come you're with these whores anyway?"_ Some of the girls gave me a disgusted look, obviously someone was inquisitive and asked what some words were in Japanese. Despite that, I'd doubt they'd try to shoot me again.

It was funny how these street hardened females were so apologetic when Miho told them. They got me a drink and a towel as I was positively freezing. I didn't mean to call them whores, all of them seemed like your average next door neighbors, good, honest. I just felt so angry, it surprised me, she didn't even feel like my sister any more.

"_Don't call them that, they're my friends." _I took another sip of my drink; Miho's eyes were welling up. It was obvious she had never stopped thinking about me and the family she left behind. I felt like crying as well, but not for the same reason. She disappointed me, Miho was so bright and could have been as rich as my parents, but now she lives in squalor with those she once looked down on.

"_I have missed you more than you can imagine." _Miho was sat about a meter away from me, next to the bar. I read a humorous beer mat to take my mind off of the feelings I felt. I paused and looked at her.

"_Why didn't you come home then?"_ I rose from my stool and dropped a 5-dollar note next to my empty glass from force of habit. I turned to Gail. "Thanks for the drink."

"Shimizu." I ignored her and left through the door this time. The morning sun caused my eyes to squint as I stepped out onto the street. It's not often a place looks as seedy in the day as it does at night, but Old town manages it. There was still a bitter chill blowing through the air forcing me to pick up speed as I walked back to my hotel.

* * *

How can I not feel anything? I just flew across the world in search of her and I feel nothing?

My mind as crowded as the local airport; I failed to notice three large men jogging to keep up with me. A knife slid out of its sheaf making the same sound you hear in all the films. I span around and was knocked onto the floor before I had a chance to assess the situation. The ground fell away from view and I was lifted onto my feet and placed against the nearest alleyway wall. The smallest man stepped forward with a crowbar in his hand; he came so close I felt like a flower withering under his breath.

"You just left Gail's, nod once for yes and twice for no." Unsure whether he wanted Gail's location I hesitated. The guy smacked the bar into my side sending me toppling to the floor. Another of the three lifted me back to my feet, my sense kicked back into touch from the pain in my side.

"ONCE for yes, twice for no." The three looked at me expectantly, each rising and falling with there heavy breathing. I nodded, the leader shouting 'yes' triumphantly before turning to his nearest goon. I nodded again.

"Sam, he nodded again." The knife-wielding thug holding me signaled. Sam slowly turned back around, as if believing he was the lead in some gangbang movie.

"What, little man?" Sam asked. I giggled slightly and the guy holding me squeezed tighter.

"Manko." I uttered under my breath. Unbeknownst to him, that's the rudest word you could possibly say in Japanese. He didn't know that but he seemed suitably angry at being in the dark.

"What was that?" Lifting his crowbar, Sam moved closer.

"He said Manko boss." The third pointless thug answered. Sam silenced him with a wave of his crowbar holding hand. He leaned closer waiting for an answer. I breathed in, as if I was going to start speaking, my mind repeating what I was about to do.

Jerking my head to the side, I butted my captor, falling to the ground just in time to miss Sam's swing. I ducked under him, so I wouldn't be cornered any more but the third guy slammed my neck with his elbow. I guess he had a use after all. I rolled onto my feet and out of the shadow before he could land a second hit, Sam shouting at the big guy currently holding his bloody nose.

I knocked into a passing tramp as I backed onto the sidewalk, dodging the third guys drunken punches. A cruising car's wing mirror hit into my back and I fell forward. The thug hit me twice in the face and once in the gut, knocking me onto the road. The hard concrete hurt more than any of his hits, all three insults to the word punch. My head felt like it could glow with pain, the only way it could hurt this much is if someone had lit a fire in there.

* * *

Miho looked like a Greek Goddess among the other apparently beautiful women at Gail's place. She isn't the same as them, she has talent, she's clever and she shouldn't be here…

But she isn't my real sister.

The dark place in my mind left and I returned to the street, the sun burning my skin. I felt a pain in my side, but it was a different pain entirely. One of them must be kicking me in the ribs, cowardly can't describe it. What's the worst that can happen? I'll just lie here until they leave, why do they want Gail anyway?

CLICK

That click is just as familiar to me as the sheathing of a knife. Kicking a guy is acceptable compared to shooting him in the middle a mildly busy street. My eyes flick open, Sam's shadow covering all his features. The gun I heard being loaded is lowered and aimed at me.

"Wow, I thought the Americans would be brave. Even back home we don't shoot one whilst the others down." I don't even know if I said it, I was to busy noticing something on the roof behind Sam.

"This ain't home Jackie Chan and anyway, I'm Canadian." Sam laughed to his buddies who I heard reply with there own hearty guffaw. The figure seemed to pull something from behind them and disappeared, I knew who it was already.

"Well I'm Japanese and if I'm not mistaken…" Sam still facing away from me laughing so I rolled out of his view, I heard Miho's feet hit the ground and the swing of steel hitting air. Diving behind a burnt out car I heard shots, whether at Miho or me I was not sure. I peered through its burnt gray frame to see Sam running at me, gun still aiming in my direction.

Diving to the other side of the car, I heard the shouts of Sam's companions as they were sliced to pieces. Sam uttered an expletive and I took a second look, Miho acrobatically dispatching his gang distracted him. Taking this chance I ran up behind him and grabbed his gun holding arm, pulling it behind his back. Sam's hand loosened and I collected his gun. Before he had a chance to react I knocked him to the floor with the butt of his gun.

Miho approached me, sliding the sword into its sheath. Sam reminded me of Bambi as he tried to stand up.

"_You've been gone how long?" _Miho nervously asked, looking down at Sam.

"_Trouble found me, I mean, it was looking for you." _At my words, Miho pulled out a knife and plunged it into Sam's neck.

"_What the? Miho! He was defenseless!" _I watched as Sam's body twitched before freezing when Miho tugged the knife out. She coolly slipped it away, ignorant to my moral issues. I looked around the empty street; increasingly aware we were in an open space. I sighed in disgust, signaling Miho's attention.

"_What?"_ She asked, placing a hand on my shoulder, I stepped away.

"_You just killed a weaponless guy in the middle of the street." _I glanced around again, expecting a team of SWAT to erupt from every alley.

"_He was going to kill you and stop looking around! There aren't any police here, because we own these streets. Well, for now. This guy works for a higher boss, a man named McLean." _She dragged the first body into the alleyway and signaled for some help, "_They want Old town. I presume they thought you were working with us as he was looking for our location. If he lived we probably wouldn't last that long either."_

I reluctantly helped lift the large guy into a green trash disposal unit unsure what Miho meant.

"_So you mean?" _I went back for Sam.

"_We're at war."_


	5. 5: The hunt

Disclaimer – I do not own Sin City or any of its characters – Though you probably new that already (I'm not putting this on again)

"McLean's not his real name then?" I asked, having returned once again to the 'base camp' of my sister and her associates. Gail had lured me into having one of her Cuban cigars, apparently a present from an old friend. Each sentence of mine ended with a slight splutter, getting worse the more I tried to prevent it. Those Cubans sure know how to make a smoke.

"Obviously not. He's called McLean 'cos of his teeth. I still call him by his old nickname, when he was a lowly assassin like Miho." As soon as Gail spoke she realised she had said something wrong. I didn't particularly mind, I knew what she meant. "I didn't mean it like that. Miho is one of my closest friends and an assassin is a respectable job. She helps a lot of girls, people. She helps a lot of people."

I laughed, wondering how such a powerful and ruthless woman could muddle herself so. Stubbing out the cigar I flashed Gail a smile, surprised how much I've likened to her after the initial difficulties.

"It's fine. Tell me more about this McLean. How dangerous is he?" The last of Gail's girls left the bar and stumbled off to her bedroom, obviously not wanting to hear the same old story.

"Well from what Miho told me, those were nobodies who attacked you. I know the people we're against, these were hired muscle, trying to get as far as finding out where I am. No, the big guys one of the last bosses of Basin city. We survived the wars that made this town infamous and so did he. He eliminated his competition and the lowlife followed him on up. It sounds like he wants to make the first move, it's our job to keep him in check." Gail watched me consume this information; I didn't know what she expected me to do. Did she expect me to object to Miho's involvement? Then go and hand her over to McLean? I thought she wouldn't expect what I would do.

"I obviously…" I looked back at Gail. Her eyes seemed to tell me what to say. "I obviously need to help. I don't know if I can be much use to any of you, though."

"Of course you can be. Now, I anticipated this, so the girls and me got you a little present." Gail rose from her barstool and moved over to a pile of cardboard boxes stacked by the window. "Call it a sorry, for nearly killing you. I hope you'll like it, stuff like earlier today will be easier to manage, let's say."

Gail folded open the first box and lifted a small pistol from within. Not sure what to make of it, I watched her place a large clip into the guns handle. Gail casually strolled over to me; gun in hand, looking like a bond girl with bondage.

"It's a Colt .45 automatic pistol, Uzi for short. Here, wanna' hold it?" Gail leaped up onto the bar and slid towards me, casually dropping the pistol on the counter.

The gun just out of my reach, I stood up and clutched the pistol. Testing it out, I aimed at the window and across to a lighted room in another building.

"No, not like that." Gail dropped down from the bar and advanced behind me. My mind raced, not sure what to do. I continued to point at the illuminated window, feeling Gail's hands softly touch my shoulder.

"Point straighter. You'd never hit the light from here the way you're standing." Like her touch, Gail's tone was gentle, her hands slowly moving up my arm to focus my aim. I turned my head slightly, seeing Gail resting her head on my shoulder, her eyes concentrating on the target.

_What should I do? _

My brain raced, Gail continued to concentrate on the target and I continued to look at her. She amazed me; everything about her confused and astounded me. Like a flash Gail looked up at me, her hands still wrapped around mine, her body still pressed against mine.

"Shimizu?"

I immediately turned to find Miho standing in the doorway. Gail released her hold and me and stepped back, not looking at her. I placed the gun on the bar and mentally debated whether I should approach her. Miho obviously wanted to talk; she hadn't changed clothes since she had rescued me previously.

"Come on Mi-" Gail attempted to communicate with her, only to be silenced by a wave of Miho's hand. I watched as she turned to leave, noticing something outside the window. Turning briefly I spotted a wisp of cloth rise rapidly followed by a foot. Grabbing for the gun I aimed out the window to find the figure had vanished.

"Some one was outside." I called to them, Miho immediately sprinting back to her room for her sword.

"Here, pocket these." Gail threw two more clips at me, which I placed in my side pockets. "We've got to move quickly, Miho will have gone on ahead but we need to back her up. I'll take to the street and you follow Miho to the roof, the ladders out side. If there's an advantage of these slums it's the roof system."

Gail zoomed out the door still loading her guns. Stunned, it took me a few seconds to realise her orders and follow her out, into the darkness.

* * *

I climbed the steps and burst through the door, collapsing into the moonlight. I'd expected it to be darker, being on top of a roof in the middle of the morning. The moon seemed like an onlooker, so large and round, urging me to join the hunt. I stumbled as a wave of bitterly cold wind crashed in to me, freezing what seemed like all of my body.Come on Shimizu, I told myself, beginning to run across the roof in no particular direction. 

_This is crazy! I don't even know where they went, I'm not even sure I saw anything any more…_ Like a whisper of encouragement from the wind, a clang of steel against steel distinctly wafted past. Knowing it came from behind me, I changed course and pounded back along the concrete.

As if on cue, the clang occurred again, louder, closer. Still pounding along unthinkingly, my legs stopped inches from the buildings edge. Teetering uncomfortably, I stepped back and surveyed the distance between me and the next building. It was a possible jump, I could imagine Miho and her target making it with ease, but I'm not them.

I whispered macho self-encouraging words as I wondered back, absent-mindedly brushing my trousers in anticipation. I can do this; it was easy to say but hard to believe. I heard a grunt from the darkness that I was trying to reach, as loud as the sword clashes from many roofs ago. Had Miho underestimated the person she's trying to pursue? Whatever is happening, I need to get there. What happened next is, well, I believed I could.

My legs startled even me with the speed and power in which they made for the edge. Probably too far from the edge, I leaped with all the might my body could muster. For the shortest millisecond I saw the alley below, felt the wind pass me by and then I landed. My legs wobbled with shock, making me sway slightly as I rose up from my landing position. Peeking behind me before carrying on, I was ashamed to realise how small the gap was. God knows what has happened because my dawdling.

The next few buildings I'm sure had gaps but my mind was too fixed to even be worried. Two figures loomed through the mist that had curtained the roofs just after my jump. I pulled out the gun from my back pocket, clicking off the safety, my eyes not moving from the larger figure in the mist. Only a couple of rooftops away, the scene fully presented it self.

The fly on the window I had noticed now stood over Miho, their weapons probably had been used to the point of breaking. Kitted in a black Shinobi Shozoku (Pyjama's wouldn't be too far off), he looked quite the ninja. I stamped over a corrugated metal roof, only one building from the ninja and Miho, hearing the noise he instantaneously looked in my direction.

Still charging I pulled the trigger, the ninja already moving away, only to find it wouldn't completely push down. The ninja realised I had the safety lock almost as quickly as I did, moving towards me before I had time to wonder why Gail gave me a gun I was fully capable of shooting. I flicked the safety off 'again' whist leaping behind a chimney as the ninja threw a shuriken (flying disk) in my direction. Turning to my left I noticed Miho with her eyes shut, knocked out on a brick wall.

Expecting a continued onslaught of attack, I waited for a few seconds before rolling out into the open. Looking up I saw the ninja had vanished.

"_Shit_." I prepared to follow pursue him when I heard a whisper from behind me.

"_Shim – Shimizu_." I crouched down by Miho, hoping she hadn't been poisoned. "_He dropped many Tetsu-Bishi behind him, watch where you step. I've never faced anyone like this before. But don't worry about me, I'll be fine._"

Her eyes remained clothes, the freezing air pierced by the sound of her breath.

"_Go_!" She screamed with all her remaining energy. I stood up and looked at the stone before me, covered with at least 10 shiny metal objects. Each object wrapped in poison tipped spikes, designed to trip up the pursuer, even kill them. Slowly, I made my way through them and on to a parallel row of buildings where I believe he went.

Moving slower than previously when making my way along the rooftops, my eyes constantly flitting from ground to in whatever may be in front of me. Another shuriken came whirring past out of the darkness, as fast as a bullet and smashed into a near by wall. Though my knowledge of ninja's is modest, I know Shuriken are used as a distraction to slow rather than aim for the kill.

The mist was still extremely thick; another sly shuriken would probably come too quickly for me to dodge – if on target. Ploughing through wet and the fog I didn't expect the edge of a blade to swipe in front of me, narrowly giving me time to spin out of the way. I turned to where the sword swing had come from, only to find the mist still blocking me from seeing anything more than a foot away. I decided my best tactic was too keep moving, hoping he hasn't decided to escape.

"_Come on! Where are you? Don't understand me? Then you know nothing, you're worth nothing!" _As I shouted abuse, black seemed to zoom past the edge of my view. The occasionally footstep, or blow of the wind made me spin with paranoia. Hearing a grunt from the mist to my side, I rolled forwards, noticing a loud CLINK of metal hitting stone. I kicked as I span to face him, knocking his sword into the rapidly decreasing mist. The ninja swiped his foot in my direction, nearly ripping out my throat with the spikes attached to his feet (designed to help ninjas climb).

I toppled backwards from jumping back so quickly. Noticing the moon, I looked around to see the mist dissipate around me, unfortunately for me, the ninja hadn't. I got back to my feet and quickly tried to locate the ninja, spotting him on the edge of the roof a millisecond before he smacked me down again. My head vibrated under the force of the hit, blood surely pouring from my nose and on to the hard stone I rested on. I watched as the ninja prepared to jump from this roof to the next, only to be shocked backwards by gunfire from the street.

"Don't want any of this?" I heard Gail call in the distance. The ninja stepped back from the edge and began to move on. He would have, if I hadn't pulled out my Uzi and fired him full of the whole clip. My eyes groggy, I watched him fall down to my level, his pupils wide with pain before shrinking – death adding another to his list. Managing to stand, I hobbled to the edge to alert Gail, who on cue stood patiently below.

"Hey, I got the ninja." Gail laughed at my words, despite me being bruised and bloody.

"Ninja? If there are such things this guy wasn't one. You'd be the one lying where he was if he could do what Miho says a ninja could." Gail started to take apart her gun. "And throw the body down while you're at it, I'll suitably dispose of them." Even being on top of the roof I could see her wink at me. Too tired to do anything quickly, I moved towards the body at a snails place. Removing the hood covering the face, I confirmed to Gail it was a man before coughing in surprise.

"What now?" Gail called impatiently.

"Um, he has a wire, he probably told them already." I pulled out the small black wire with a minute microphone attached. From down below I heard Gail scream with anger.

"I new I should have taken the roof." Gail swore and marched off down the street. Standing on the edge of the roof, I watched her silhouetted against the streetlamp, her shadow sway with her hips. She obviously didn't care about the body anymore so I just left it and walked back to Miho. Gail didn't even ask where she was, in a way I hope there is a rift, I just want Miho back.


End file.
